Crazy fixes / bodges

**rok-the-boat** · 7th October 2017, 22:33

I wonder what ideas people have come up with when fixing bikes?

I had a DR500 and lacked the special tool for undoing the fork bolt to change the seals. I removed the C rings, filled the forks with oil to the brim, and put them (one at a time) between two walls (on the floor) and pressed them with a car jack. It was a bit messy but it worked. Seals popped right out.

**rok-the-boat** · 7th October 2017, 22:42

Another bodge ... when younger I lacked tools.

So, how to undo the pesky crank nut to get the flywheel off to change the points etc?

Easy, put rope down the plug hole, carefully let it coil as you put it in. Then, when you turn the crank nut the piston can't move. Only did it on small single cylinder bikes. Never had a problem. Never bent a rod or damaged a piston.

I have a Makita electric impact wrench now and use it with torque sticks for tightening. It is ACE. I compared the torque settings with a standard torque wrench on my car wheel nuts and the torque sticks are pretty accurate.

**oldiebutagoody** · 7th October 2017, 23:54

When I was young and broke I had to resort to suchlike fixes.

On both my GT750 waterbuckets there was a frightening tendency to wallow in sweeping corners. I decided to throw money at the problem. Literally I packed 8 x 10c pieces ($1.60 was 1/50th of my weeks wages) on top of each fork spring, and while i was at it bought my first Haynes manual, fork oil and new seals. It was impossible to do the cap up by hand though so dug out an old "Record" window sash cramp from the back of my Dad's garage. I could then wind the cap on under controlled pressure. Used many times over the years for similar tasks.

Bikes long gone but still have the sash cramp which I eventually inherited.

**Akzle** · 8th October 2017, 05:57

an empty lion brown can and large hose clamp make for an impromptu piston ring compressor

**Black Knight** · 8th October 2017, 08:23

You drink lion brown?-Sheesh!

**Luckylegs** · 8th October 2017, 08:42

Originally Posted by Black Knight

You drink lion brown?-Sheesh!

No he doesnt - he uses them to compress piston rings.

**Luckylegs** · 8th October 2017, 11:59

Originally Posted by cassina

Squirted CRC down the sparkplug hole to get the motor to fire after the bike had not been riden for a few months. While it worked for me others on here have said it would damage your motor although I have read on another site such a fix can be done. Maybe it depends on the bike if damage is done.

Come on now - you do yourself a disservice. We know you installed puppies to the bottom of the bike to lower the centre of gravity to help you get around corners at the recommended speed......

**rok-the-boat** · 8th October 2017, 14:05

As a teen someone gave me a Suzuki T125 Stinger. Mice had chewed the wires. Didn't have much money so I rewired it with black wire - it was the cheapest. I got carried away and replaced every wire with black wire and house electrical connectors. Because I had done it myself I knew how it worked, but I pitied the next guy. I have never been afraid of electrics since.

**rok-the-boat** · 8th October 2017, 14:10

Riding to Cornwall on my trusty Suzuki GP100 following my mate on a CB125. He ran over a piece of leaf spring and holed his crankcase ... oil everywhere ... right next to a motor shop. 1 inch hole. The guy there looked at it, cleaned it up, and made some of his personal mix - iron filings and an epoxy type glue - plus and inch squareish piece of sheet metal. We could not believe it - and an hour or two later - it held. He charged us nothing, saying it probably would not work. We rode on and that bike did many more miles.

**AllanB** · 8th October 2017, 17:05

Rough bastards.

Whats wrong with balled up chicken wire stuffed down a exhaust for 'muffling' ............

**Akzle** · 8th October 2017, 17:45

Originally Posted by AllanB

Rough bastards.

Whats wrong with balled up chicken wire stuffed down a exhaust for 'muffling' ............

Mufflers are for pussies.

**GazzaH** · 8th October 2017, 18:12

Only the noisy ones

**Akzle** · 8th October 2017, 18:38

Originally Posted by GazzaH

Only the noisy ones

noisy pussy?

might want to get that checked out...

**rok-the-boat** · 9th October 2017, 10:05

2 stroke exhaust cleaning

Take it off, stuff a potatoe in one end, stand it up and fill it with a caustic soda solution, leave over night - 24 hours. The next day it will zing like a new zorst.